Guide device



Dec. 20, 1938. s. FINDLATER GUIDE DEVICE lmenlor:

/.5 War/76y? ZTEVEN6ON HNDLA TEE,

Filed March 26, 1958 Patented Dec. 20, 1938 GUIDE DEVICE StevensonFindlater, McKeesport, Pa., assignor to National Tube Company, acorporation of New Jersey Application March 26, 1938, Serial No. 198,307

4 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for making metallic tubularwork-pieces, and more particularly to guide devices therefor.

In my copending applications, Serial No.

5 100,535, filed September 12 1936, and entitled Apparatus for makingtubular work-pieces" and Serial No. 112,588, filed November 24, 1936,and entitled Guide device, there are disclosed sectional guide devicesfor tube rolling mills. The device of the present application isgenerally similar thereto but is designed to more readily permitchanging the guide device to accommodate work-pieces of various sizes.

It is among the objects of the present invention to effectivelysectionalize seamless tube rolling mill guide devices and provide fortheir eflicient support as a unitary structure; the guiding sections orelements being relatively small to eliminate large discards of unwornparts.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide asectionalized seamless tube mill guide device in which the worn sectionsare readily replaced and which is capable of being quickly anddownwardly and forwardly projecting lug l6 having a downwardly andforwardly inclined face I? which, together with the supporting surfacel8 of r the chair I, defines a reentrant angle l9.

Adapted to be disposed on the chair I and held 5 in place between thesurface M of the bell-crank lever 5 and in the reentrant angle I9 is aguideelement holder 2| which can vary in depth to accommodate the guideto a large range of pipe sizes. Guide-element holder 2| has a pair offorwardly and rearwardly extending lugs 22 and 23. Forward. lug 22 has aforwardly and upwardly inclined surface 24 which is complementary to thesurface l4 on the bell-crank 5 while the rearward lug 23 which isadapted to be disposed in the reentrant angle has a rearwardly and up--wardly extending surface 25 which is complementary to the inclinedsurface I1.

The rearward and lower part of the guideelement holder M has adownwardly and forl wardly projecting portion 36 having an upwardlyreadily changed to provide different sized guide passes.

The foregoing and further objects will be apparent after referring tothe drawing in which: The sole figure is a sectional elevation of thedevice of the invention as applied to a conventional type of seamlesstube mill.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the numerals l and 2respectively designate upper and lower chairs'for the-guide devices ofthe present invention, which are disposed above and below the pass-lineof the mill and intermediate the metal-working rolls.

According to the teachings of the invention, the upper chair I carries ahorizontally extending pin 3 disposed adjacent the inlet end of themill. This pin 3 carries a movable bell-crank lever '5, one end of whichextends rearwardly and generally horizontally as shown at 6. One end ofa vertically extending shaft 1 is pivotally connected;

as at 8, to the end 6 of the bell-crank lever 5. The otherend of theshaft 1 is shown as extended through an ear 9 which may be integrallyformed on the upper chair I. This end of the shaft 1 is screw-threadedto carryan adjusting nut l 0 in contact with the ear 9, whereby thebellcrank lever 5 may be partially rotated on the pin 3. The other endof the bell-crank lever 5 extends downwardly as shown at l2, and carriesa rearwardly extending lug I3 whose rearward face I4 is inclineddownwardly and rearwardly.

The rearward part of the upper chair I has a and rearwardly inclinedsurface 31 projected below the guide-element supporting surface 36which, together with the inclined .surface 31, forms a reentrant angle39. l 25 This guide-element holder 2| carries a horizontally extendingpin 4 on which is pivotally mounted a bell=crank lever 26, one end ofwhich extends rearwardly through the guide-element holder 2l, as. shownat 21. One end of a vertically 30 extending shaft 28 is pivotallyconnected,.as at 29,- to the ,end 30 of the bell-crank lever 26. Theother end'of the vertical shaft 28 is extended through an ear 3| whichmay be integrally formed von the upper chairl. ,This end of the shaft 2835 is screw-threaded to carry an adjusting nut 32 in contact with theear 3| whereby the bell-crank .lever 26 may be partially'rotated on thepin 4.

The other end of the bell-crank lever 26 extends downwardly, as shown at34. This end of the bellcrank lever 26 forms an arm 34 which has asuitably contoure dguiding surface 35 and forms part of thesectionalized guide device of my invention. The rearward end of thelower end of the arm 34 of the bell-crank'lev er 26 has a forwardly andupwardly inclined surface 35.

A guide-element 40 is adapted to be disposed on the supporting surface38 and is of a generally trapezoidal shape in longitudinal cross-sectionhaving opposed front and rear inclined surfaces 4| and 42 which arecomplementary to the inclined surfaces 35- and 31 on the bell-cranklever 26 and the guide-element holder. 2|, respectively. It is thereforeseen that the guideelement 38 can be rigidly clamped on the guideelementholder 2| by adjusting the bell-crank lever 26. The suitably contouredface 35 of the bell-crank lever 26 and the guide-element 39 togetherform the upper guiding surface of the sectionalized guide device.

The guide device can be readily changed to ac-- commodate a wide varietyof sizes with a relatively small stock of parts. Thus a few sizes of theguide-element holder 2| and bell-crank lever 26 can be used to vary thesize of the guide over a wide range, and smaller adjustments can be madeby having guide-elements 40 of suitable thickness and contour for thevarious sizes of pipe rolled in the mill.

The lower chair 2 of the sectionalizedguide device of my invention issuitably recessed at the mid-portion thereof as shown at 59 and carriestwo horizontally extending pins 5| and 52. Pin 5| carries a verticallyextending lever 54 which has a rearwardly extending lug 55 provided withan upwardly and rearwardly extending face 56.

Seated within the recess 50 is a guide-element holder 65 which may be ofdifferent depths to accommodate the guide device to a wide range oftubular work-pieces. At the forward end of the guide-element holder 65is an upwardly extending lug 6B which is provided with forward andrearward upwardly-and-rearwardly inclined faces 6! and 68 respectively.Forward face 61 is inclined at an angle which is complementary to theface 56 of the lever 54. Rearward face 69, together. with the uppersurface 69 of the guideelement holder 65, defines a reentrant angle 10.The rearward end of the guide-element holder 65 carries a horizontally,extending pin ,53 on which is pivotally mounted a vertically extendinglever 51 vwhich engages the chair 2, as at 58, and has a forwardlyextending lug 59 provided with an upwardly and forwardly extending face69.

Disposed on the guide-element holder 55 is a guide-element and holder Hwhich has, adjacent its forward end, an upwardly and rearwardly inclinedsurface 12 complementary to the rearward face 58 of the holder 65 andadapted to fit in the reentrant angle .10. The guide-element and holderH has a forward upwardly projecting lug 13 of considerable length whichis suitably profiled and has a guidingsurface 14 similar to the surface35 of the bell-crank lever 26 on the upper chair I. The rearward part ofthe upwardly proje'cting lug 13 is mitered to provide a rearwardly andupwardly inclined surface I5 which, together with the horizontallyextending supporting surface 16 of the holder portion of theguide-element and holder 1 I, forms a reentrant angle Ti.

A guide-element 89, which is similar to and preferably interchangeablewith the upper guideelement 4|], is adapted to be disposed on thesupporting surface 16 of the holder portion of the guide-element andholder H, and is of a generally trapezoidal shape in longitudinalcross-section having opposed front and rear inclined surfaces 8| and 82which are complementary to the inclined surfaces 15 and on theguide-element.

with a relatively small stock of parts. Thus a few sizes of theguide-element holder 95 can be used to vary the size of the guide-passover a wide range, and small adjustments can be made by havingguide-element and holders 'II- and guide-elements 80 of suitablethickness and contour for thevvarious sizes of pipe rolled in the mill.

A cannon or circular inlet guide 99 may be suitably disposed on theforward end of the lower chair 2 and on outlet guide trough 9| on therearward end. The outlet guide trough 9! is held in position by a clamp92 which'is adjusted by a nut 93 on the rearward end of a rod 94 whichis pivotallyconnected at its forward end, as at 95, to the lever 54 andextends rearwardly through the clamp 92. Thus it is seen that adjustmentof the nut 93 not only secures the trough 9| in position but alsorigidly secures guide-elements H and 89 on the guide-element holder byclamping the assembly between the lever 54 and lever 51 which is forcedinto engagement with the lower chair 2 at 5B.

While I have shown and described a specific embodiment of my invention,it will be understood that I do not wish to be limited exactly theretoas various modifications may be made within the scope of the followingclaims.

I claim: a

1. In an apparatus for making metallic tubular work-pieces, saidapparatus including a plurality of power-actuated metal-working rollsconstructed and arranged to advance the work-piece helically, uidesupports disposed immediately above and below the pass formed by saidrolls, and guide devices carried by said guide supports, one of saidguide devices comprising a lever pivoted intermediate its ends andprovided with a portion adapted to contact the work-piece, aguide-element clamped in position by said lever, a spacer forpositioning said guide-element with respect to the adjacent guidesupport, the other of said guide devices comprising a pair ofsectionalized elements, a spacer for positioning said sectionalizedelements with respect to the guide support, and means for clampingsaid'section alized elements and said spacer to the adjacent guidesupport, one of said sectio-nalized elements having a portion extendingbetween the other sectionalized element and said spacer to therebyprovide rigidity.

2. In an apparatus for making 'metallic tub-ular work-pieces, saidapparatus including a plurality of power-actuated metal-working rollsconstructed and arranged tov advance the workpiece helically, a guidesupport disposed intermediate said metal-working rolls, a totallystationary guide device carried by said guide support, said guide devicecomprising a pair of sectionalized elements, each of said elements beingadapted for substantially continuous contact with that portion of thework-piece which is in the working zone of said metal-working rolls, andmeans for clamping said sectionalized elements to the adjacent guidesupport, one of said sec tionalized elements having a portion extendingbetween the other sectionalized element and said support to therebyprovide rigidity,

3. In an apparatus for making metallic tubular work-pieces, saidapparatus including a plurality of power-actuated metal-working rollsconstructed and arranged to advance the workpiece helically, a guidesupport disposed intermediate said metal-working rolls, a totallystationary guide device carried .by said guide support, said guidedevice comprising a pair of sectionalized elements, each of saidelements being adapted for substantially continuous contact with thatportion of the work-piece which is in the working zone of saidmetal-working rolls, a spacer for positioning said sectionalizedelements with respect to the guide support, and means for clamping saidsectionalized elements and said spacer to the adjacent guide support,one of said sectionalized elements having a portion extending betweenthe other sectionalized element and said spacer to thereby providerisidity.

4. In an apparatus for making metallic tubular work-pieces, saidapparatus including a plurality of power-actuated metal-working rollsconstructed and arranged to advance the workpiece helically, a guidesupport disposed intermediate said metal-working rolls, a totallystationary guide device carried by said guide support, said guide devicecomprising a pair of sectionalized elements, each of said elements beingadapted for substantially continuous contact with that portion of thework-piece which is in the working zone of said metal-working rolls, aspacer for positioning said sectionalized elements with respect to theguide support, and opposed clamping means for rigidly securing saidsectionalized elements to said spacer and said spacer to the adjacentguide support, one of said sectionalized elements having. a portionextending between the other sectionalized element and said spacer tothereby provide rigidity.

STEVENSON FINDLATER.

